Alan Barnes and Gilad Atzmon, two of Britain’s most celebrated virtuoso reed players, join forces to promise the ultimate jazz night in British history.
On the face of it this is a combination as likely as “Chalk and Cheese” or “Night and Day”, as unlikely a mixture as “Oil and Water”. But despite their different backgrounds and approaches, the two men share a passion for performance and a firm belief that a jazz audience is there not to be educated but to be entertained.
They also share a healthy sense of competition. Says Barnes: “I love our gladiatorial, or even Giladiatorial exchanges; the music is lit by shafts of wit, as the Reverend Spooner would have said”. Atzmon concurs: “I like few things better than playing a good set with Alan, and then shaking him warmly by the throat.”
The two men also promise to give the American songbook a good shaking, dropping fruits of bop and post-bop and fermenting with outrageous originals from deep in the barrel.
An evening of humour and superb music by a hand-picked band of stars. You can’t set the bar any lower than that-so be sure to buy your round!
Alan Barnes: alto, baritone saxes, clarinet
Gilad Atzmon: soprano, alto, tenor saxes, clarinet and accordion
Frank Harrison: piano and electronics
Yaron Stavi: bass
Chris Higginbottom: drums
Photo by Jo Stowell
